ANF system in the newborn piglet pulmonary vessels

The atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) induces diuresis, natriuresis, and vasodilation. Although it was originally found to be secreted from the atria, ANF synthesis has been demonstrated in other organs. The adult lung is not only the first target organ for ANF, but it also expresses the ANF gene and synthesizes, releases, and clears ANF from the circulation. We have shown the presence of ANF in human fetal lungs and also demonstrated that these lungs can release bioactive ANF. However, the role of the ANF system in the newborn lung is unknown. Therefore we studied the ANF system in pulmonary vessels (arteries and veins dissected from the hilum down to a 100-microm diameter), in isolated perfused lungs, and in the plasma from pulmonary artery and vein of 1- and 7-day-old piglets. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed the presence of both the mature peptide and the ANF prohormone in pulmonary vein microsomes, but in pulmonary arteries, only the mature form was identified. Furthermore, in the veins, the ANF content tended to be higher in 7- than in 1-day-olds. ANF caused a dose-dependent decrease in perfusion pressure (p < 0.05). In veins and arteries, most of the ANF receptors were of the type A guanylate cyclase as opposed to clearance receptors. Interestingly, the ANF receptors were fewer in veins, where synthesis takes place, than in arteries (p < 0.05). Significant circulating ANF plasma levels were measured by radioimmunoassay in both pulmonary artery and vein. However, there was no site difference in ANF plasma levels, suggesting that ANF is cleared and synthesized in the pulmonary vessels. In conclusion, the entire ANF system is present in the newborn piglet pulmonary vessels. The paucity of clearance receptors compared with functional receptors potentiates the role of ANF in the regulation of postnatal pulmonary vascular resistance.